Susan F. Burke
July 14, 1929 – February 6, 2021
Susan F. (Spirio) Burke, of Waltham, died peacefully on Saturday, February 6, 2021, in the comfort of her home surrounded by her loving husband and their children after a brief illness. She was 91 years old.
Born in Watertown on July 14, 1929, “Sue” was the daughter of Carmelo and Vincenza (Gaziano) Spirio. She was raised in Waltham and attended St. Joseph’s Grammar School and St. Mary’s High School, class of 1947. Sue met her future husband, John E. Burke, around that time while each of them lived on different ends of Alder St. in Waltham’s south side neighborhood. They married on July 2, 1949 and remained in Waltham where they raised their eight children.
In the early years of their marriage, Sue worked nights in the bookkeeping department at Raytheon where she made some lifelong friends. She was a homemaker while their children attended St. Joseph’s Grammar School and St. Mary’s High School. After getting the youngest children settled into school, Sue began working at First National Stores in both Watertown and Brighton. Later, Sue held various office and bookkeeping positions, her favorite being at Waltham Federal Savings Bank from where she retired in the mid-90s.
In her retirement she and her husband, John, spent their summers at their cherished home in South Yarmouth, Cape Cod. Regular activities which brought them much joy included cribbage on the deck, watching the Red Sox, Scrabble with her local girlfriends, visits with friends and neighbors, and four o’clock mass on Saturday afternoon followed by dinner at one of their many favorite Cape Cod restaurants. An avid Scrabble player, Sue also became very adept at playing Words With Friends.
In addition to her parents, Sue was predeceased by her sister Emily Sinerate of Waltham, and her brother Salvatore Spirio of St. John, New Brunswick, Canada.
Sue is survived by her loving husband, John, their eight children John Burke and his partner Rick Arnaud of Hudson, Mary Callahan and her husband Joe of Billerica, Tom Burke and his wife Janice of Waltham, Susan Burke of Norwood, Jayne Marzano of Waltham, Michael Burke and his husband Neil Gannon-Burke of Waltham, Ted Burke and his wife Bonnie of Napa, CA, and David Burke of Attleboro; fourteen grandchildren, Billy Huber, Stephanie Cadenhead, Jaime McManus, Tommy Marzano, Jeff Marzano, Tommy Burke, Kevin Burke, Shawn Burke, Michelle Keniston, Christopher Burke, Allison Burke, Debbie Callahan, Susan Doherty, and Joseph Callahan; sixteen great grandchildren; and her loving sister Ann (Honey) Barnard of Milford, NH.
For the safety of those we love and care about during this difficult time, and for those who wish to pay their respects to Sue and her family can do so in accordance with CDC, Federal, State and Local guidelines in the Brasco & Sons Memorial Funeral Home, 773 Moody Street, Waltham, MA., on Thursday Feb. 11th from 4 - 7 p.m.
Following the Archdiocese of Boston guidelines, family & friends are welcome to gather and celebrate Susan's life and remember the love she shared with those she touched at a Funeral Mass at Sacred Heart Church, 311 River Street, Waltham on Friday morning at 10:00 a.m. Her burial will follow at Mount Feake Cemetery in Waltham.
For those who can not be present you may view the service live streamed by going to harborviewvideo.com/brasco beginning on Friday at 9:45 a.m.